Day 7
"Malfoy, you wanted to 'let it go', remember? So I'm following your advice…"
"YOU… are not even a MAN. You are NOTHING TO ME!"
'NOT A MAN….
NOTHING...
NOTHING…'
Words replaying themselves in his mind, Draco fidgeted as he slept fitfully on the couch. He could have been a little more comfortable in his own bed, but he had wanted to wait up for her.
To catch another glimpse of her.
And that he did, technically. He forced his eyes closed upon hearing her enter and feigned sleep. He could feel her eyes on him; searching him, caressing him.
His skin tingling with anticipation, he unconsciously shivered, causing Hermione to cover him with the blanket, touching his forehead as she departed to turn in for the night.
It was all unexpected, given previous events. He didn't deserve it, he knew.
Her humanity- her purity of heart.
It served as a jolt to Draco's system as he slept the sleep of the damned; his subconscious attempting to work out what his conscious could not.
His mind flashed through memories of Hermione, snapshots of moments in time from the conception of their acquaintance to the present. These images came slowly at first, but then began to pick up in speed until it all became a blur. Draco's mind went into overdrive, struggling to find an answer to it all, until it finally….. found commonality.
The mystery Draco had been yearning to solve, was in her proverbial skin, and the shedding thereof.
The key…
Was that she never did shed it.
Her foundation remained the same, everything that he truly treasured and admired about her… what made her who she was…
Was still there, and nothing could change that, no superficial or sexual experience could take that away.
And he didn't want it to, for one simple reason.
She never needed him to push her into womanhood, because she already was a woman—
HIS kind of woman.
Someone he could call his own. Even grow to…
to… dare he say it?
To love.
Suddenly, a weight was lifted from Draco's chest, making him feel deliriously light. It was a strange feeling, as it was new to him. Nevertheless, after resisting it so fiercely, for what seemed like a long time, he finally gave up the ghosts that haunted him, that kept him…
From being able to feel, to fully share and partake in experiencing the burden of emotion.
It was unbelievable. He—the King of Slytherin, had fallen for the lioness of the pride.
But it didn't matter anymore.
The current circumstances made everything look so grim, bleak. Irrevocably broken.
She had chosen another over him, but it was his own fault, as his foolish pride gave way to his own defeat.
However, it didn't mean that he had to concede that defeat. He was a Malfoy after all.
A new energy and determination filling him, Draco arose from the couch and went to gather some thing from his room. He would get ready in the Slytherin dungeons today.
Draco had always been a betting man, so today he would gamble.
Raise the stakes, up the ante; no longer toeing the line.
He was seriously thinking…that it was time to cross it.
Hermione strode into the great hall feeling more well-rested and at peace than she had been in a long time. It wasn't that all was right in her world, but she took comfort in the fact that she knew, that somehow, everything would be ok. She wasn't alright, but she would be one day.
Her world would eventually right itself again.
With the supreme satisfaction of finding comfort in one's own skin, Hermione smiled as she sat down with her friends for breakfast.
Hermione greeted them sunnily. "Hey guys!"
As the Hermione now greatly differed from the Hermione of yesterday, Harry, Ron, and Ginny looked at their brown haired friend as if she had developed split personalities. In all honesty, they wouldn't have said that this was the old Hermione.
Somehow, they perceived that Hermione of today was different from anything that they had ever known.
It was a Hermione fully bared, unmasked for everyone to see.
She was graceful and serene in the beauty of her quiet strength. Resolute in her posturing, Hermione exuded the confidence that comes with knowledge of self, with womanhood.
Now the dominator, she was no longer dominated.
She came of age, into her own.
Ginny was the first of the three to smile, as she felt the genuine sense of peace that came from Hermione. She reached under the table to take Hermione's hands in hers, giving it a light squeeze. If it was possible, she developed an even greater respect for her friend.
She was a fighter…. She was going to fight. With everything she had.
Harry and Ron, taking Ginny's lead, gazed at Hermione in approval. She had come out of the shadows.
Not their shadows, as many thought; but her own. They were elated for her.
And forever in the debt to the person who had shown her, what they could not.
So they did what anyone would do in honor of the occasion, they celebrated-in chorus.
"Hey Hermione, welcome back."
Back on target, Hermione fell into her normal routine, conducting business as usual. She raised her hand at every question, attacking her studies with gusto. It was quite a pleasant day really. She even managed to greet Sebastian in the library without the intrusive feelings of guilt and awkwardness, easy smiles returning once again. Likewise, he too seemed content, working on a house project with Luna Lovegood, another fellow Ravenclaw.
Now in her room, she readied herself to meet the head boy for their weekly patrol of the grounds. They gave the prefects a break on Fridays, giving them a chance to relax after the long school week. It wasn't much, as the prefects had to cover the rest of the week's patrol while the heads went about other duties, but it seemed to keep everyone happy. Steeling herself, she looked at herself in the mirror before meeting Draco in the common room. Hermione chided herself for doing so, as it did her no good to dwell on what could not be.
Why should she care what Draco thought of her?
Mentally shaking herself, Hermione strode into the common room where Draco stood waiting. He, in deep thought, had not noticed her presence, so Hermione took a moment to observe his profile. Draco looked so forbidding to Hermione, his blonde eyebrows furrowed in serious contemplation. His lips slightly pouted as he moistened the lower lip with his tongue with a continued far away look in his eye. Hermione, seeing the action, swiftly turned away with a sharp intake of breath, as the temptation to cover his lips with her own unexpectedly overwhelmed her.
With this, Draco was finally knocked out of his trance, seeing Hermione with her back turned to him. 'How long had she been there?'
Steadying herself, Hermione turned to face Draco once again, walking to close the distance between them.
She addressed him in a business like manner. "Malfoy."
Draco cleared his throat. "Hermione."
Hermione shivered internally at the unfamiliarsound of her name on Draco's lips, but acts as if he said nothing at all. "Ok, let's get started." That said Hermione stiffly walked past him to exit the portrait hole, an unusually quiet Draco lagging behind her.
For hours, they patrolled the halls in what could have been viewed as companionable silence. The truth was neither party trusted themselves to speak just yet, so they allowed the silence to reign over them. Patrol of the inside completed, they made their way to the outside portion of the grounds, starting with the Quidditch locker rooms.
The sky tinged with what was the beginning of another starry night, Draco and Hermione made their way across the Quidditch field. They didn't need to walk the entire parameter, but they did it anyway, for different reasons; Hermione, for the simple fact that she liked nature and wide open spaces. For Draco, it was a bit more complicated than that.
Growing up, Draco always felt the freest flying, the most like himself. There were never any high expectations, false promises, or family problems.
He didn't have to put on a show here. Flying high….
He could just be Draco.
So it was with those thoughts in his mind that Draco firmly took Hermione's hands in his in the middle of the field. He spoke softly as he looked into her eyes.
"My name is Draconis Lucius Malfoy, son of the late Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. I am named for the dragon, a sea serpent existing even before the sea and sky had been divided from each other….
Monsters of primeval darkness and chaos, dragons can only be overcome by the powers of sunlight before the creation of the world can take place—before a new beginning can occur."
Hermione looked up into Draco's penetrating gaze as she soaked in his words. She couldn't believe what he was saying to her… it couldn't be….
"True to my name, I have been living in darkness and chaos all of my life. I was swallowed up by the expectations, the disappointments, and the bitterness. Everything about me was out of control, hence my constant struggle…to obtain… and maintain control; but I failed...because of the light."
Draco paused for a moment, his gaze still locked with Hermione's. She hadn't said anything yet, which increased his nervousness. But he had come this far…and he had to see it through.
Make it as plain… as he could.
"It was here, in our 1st year, I called you a mudblood, besmirched your name for the 1st time. It certainly wasn't the last time, as I know that I have hurt you…even now…
But I hope that this will be a new beginning, as I believe you are that light that has brought me out. So in the same place I made my first wrong, I choose to make it right once more."
The air around the young couple was charged with tension as Draco spoke his final words. He didn't know what would happen next.
After a few minutes of silence, Hermione pulled her hands out of Draco's grasp and broke eye contact, looking away from him. Just when she thought that she had a chance of getting a foothold on her emotions… this happens. It was all so unexpected; she didn't know what to think.
Think……
Think……
Her mind returned to a previous question asked:
"You think too much Granger. Have you ever just done something without thinking?"
Hermione finally found her answer.
'Oh bugger it.' Thought Hermione as she swiftly turned back around, crashing herself against Draco's body as she lifted her mouth towards his to meet in a soul shattering kiss.
Draco let out a whoosh of air that he hadn't realized he had been holding as he gathered his lady love into his arms. He smiled into the kiss as he realized…
She had finally done it.
Did something without thinking, not caring about the consequences.
So there the lovers stood, in the center of the pitch, kissing, caressing, and whispering to one another.
This time, there were whispers of love…of need… of promises.
And of course, they intended to keep each and everyone of them.
References: Information regarding origination of Draco taken and adapted from: coldwater.k12.mi.us/lms/planetarium/myth/draco.html
A/N: Ah...I went for your heartstrings, and I TUGGED them. I TOLD you this story would be lighthearted and fluffy, and I wouldn't be true to my word without gifting you with some SWEETS! Well, Draco's version of it. I couldn't in good conscience have my boy become a sniveling idiot... so I played it as close to the vest as possible, trying not to betray him.
As far as Against the ropes, it relates to boxing. Being against the ropes.. you ricochet back into the ring again, to fight once more. This was about fighting the good fight. For self-knowledge, personal growth, to right past wrongs,and last but not least, LOVE.
The next chapter, as promised, will be the LAST Chapter, asit is time for... YOU KNOW WHAT... (winks). After this, I will be returning to my other work, RESURRECTION, so I hope that you will continue to follow me there. Who knows? The plot fairy may bite me once more... and another gift will come from the sky. I'm tossing around a Blaise/Luna pairing.. but ff doesn't have a BLAISE category! Its sucks! I wonder if one could lobby for that:oP
Oh yes, please DO NOT FORGET ABOUT LORETT and her story: IT HAD TO BE YOU! She is just getting started, and she NEVER disappoints! Trust me on this one, as I will be FOLLOWING new story closely along with her other wonderful fic THE THREE KEYS.
Now... shout outs!
1.Lorett- DARLING! I was just talking about you yanno (ha-ha). Anyway, you are such an awesome person as all of the facets that make you up are unique and wonderful. You really came through for me on this one. Don't hesitate to ever call on me to do the SAME. Love you ALWAYS, 30/70:o)
2.Alley Mack- YOUR REVIEW TOTALLY FUCKED ME UP! (as in I LOVED IT!). It really lifted my heart and spirits, for that I thank you. It's always by policy to NOT do cliffies as I HATE them with a passion. So, I hope that this chappie left you feeling settled, yet appropriately looking forward to the end.
3.Samantha Cameron- After all we have been through girl, you have GOTTA be happy with me NOW:o) :oP
4. Erilyn Rose- I hope I still have Draco 'down-pat' :o)
5.IZZY85- OH YOU FUCKED ME OVER TOO! In a GOOD WAY! Lord you had me soaring high off of that review! In Resurrection, Draco is more true to his baser nature... a sexier Draco than here in CS. I didn't see you REVIEW Res, so u must TELL me what you think of it when you get a chance. :o) Thanks for everything.
6.MalfoysQueen- OY! Where do I get my ideas? I really dunno, sometimes from fics I've read, or situations I WISHED went down. Every chappie you have recieved is FRESH off the press as I don't plan out my stories and write off the cuff as it seizes me. It has been taking me 5-6 hrs to write each chappie (after Ch 2). Thanks for asking and I hope you enjoyed:o)
7. Eveny Rose- If I have helped you accomplish THAT in any way! I have succeeded.If you think this is wild, Resurrection will drive u nutters:o)
8. PentagonMerlin- Sebastian isn't French he is CANADIAN (and not the french kind). He moved to France during his childhood years. I didn't get too much into it, but in my eyes Canadians (NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE WHO SEES THIS AS OFFENSIVE...as NOONE like the US right now)aren't too dissimilar to Americans in terms of lifestyle and culture. Plus, 'Bastian's mum was American, but that wasn't essential to the plot.
9. TomFeltonsDancer- Well, there was NOTHING to rush sweeting as this is going to be 9 chapters as promised! This was not meant to be a long drawn out story, hence my naming it a ficlet. It's my holiday gift to all the readers out there.Also, hit 100 24 hrs ago (YAY!) and it's bittersweet in a way, as I wont have time to bask in it. The story is coming to an end. Anyway, hope you enjoyed:o)
10. LunaDemonica- Nope, but I have always loved the name Sebastian so I just used it. It sounds totally HOT! As far as fic recs, I told you of Lorett and I's works we have going, other than that click on my profile and see what I judged as favorites. Thats your best bet.
LadyFirehair(Thx you for reviewing and taking up Lorett's suggestion, hope to hear from you soon),Abbi, JoCuteGirl (I love you too!), WoundedAngel(men like Sebastian still exist, no cliche. :o)), Mareggae, VenomeQueen83(excellent insight!), AngelDolphin1, notDavidTalbot, Meadowsweet1363, Theladyknight(Its ALL about DMHG:o) ), KougasGrl1188, Sporty12gd4u, WinterSpirit, HermioneLilyGranfer (HIYA!), DCMMFAN, SoulChaser, JiffyLube, FoxyChic4U, Perthy, Ani, Tara, Icanrunthrufire,LuvBug21,StikeeBubbles, TinkerBell14934, Mandalay4824,
and last but not least, LAURARC!
Happy New Year and Cheers to you and yours! As I am celebrating with family, there will be a one day delay with the final chappie. Thanks and hope to HEAR from you all SOON!
-NB